WHAT IS NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE & WHO CAN BENEFIT?

Naturopathic medicine’s philosophy embraces the idea that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself when given the right tools for optimal health.

Naturopathic doctors strive to identify and treat the cause of health conditions, instead of merely treating the symptoms.

Naturopathic medicine supports the whole body to promote overall wellness which aids in the prevention of illness and/or its progression into a more serious disease.

Naturopathic Medicine Gets to the Root of the Problem

Naturopathic doctors strive to identify and treat the foundational cause(s) of health conditions, instead of merely treating the symptoms. Functional medicine labs may be utilized to aid in this assessment. Safe and effective treatment options are given to support the whole body and promote overall wellness to prevent illness and/or its progression into a more serious disease.

It Promotes the Body’s Ability to Heal Itself

Naturopathic medicine’s philosophy embraces the idea that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself when given the right tools for optimal health. There are fundamental principles that naturopathic doctors use to bring about these healing properties within the body. These include the following:

• The healing power of nature: When sickness prevails, it is due to an imbalance within the body. Treatment includes restoring this natural balance so the body can heal itself once again.
• Doctor as teacher: Naturopathic doctors educate their patients on how to optimize their health by explaining how the body works at its best and why this is important in the treatment and prevention of disease.
• First, do no harm: The methods used in naturopathic treatments minimize the risk of harmful effects and use the least amount of intervention necessary.
• Identify and treat the cause: There is a cause for every illness. Finding that cause and eliminating/treating it will bring about balance within the body. Do this, and the illness will subside on its own.
• Treat the whole person: Illness stems from an imbalance within several systems of the body, including physical, spiritual, emotional, social and environmental. Naturopathic doctors treat the whole person on each of these levels, not just the symptoms the person is expressing.
• Prevention: The key behind naturopathic medicine is to prevent illness and/or its progression into a more serious disease state by promoting overall wellness.

A Variety of Treatment Options are Available

Naturopathic doctors like me are trained in a variety of treatment methods to meet the individual needs of their patients. These treatment options include:

• Clinical nutrition
• The use of nutritional supplements
• Lifestyle counseling
• Herbal medicine
• Homeopathy
• Physical medicine
• Hydrotherapy

Anyone Can Benefit From Naturopathic Medicine

Since the philosophy behind naturopathic medicine is ideally prevention through increasing wellbeing, anyone can benefit from the services. Naturopathic doctors make recommendations for general wellness, to reduce risk for familial tendencies (high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, strokes, depression, etc.) and provide specific treatment recommendations for current health conditions.

Naturopathic doctors treat the whole person, putting all aspects of previous health, current health and familial tendencies into consideration.

Some of the most common health concerns people have that seek out naturopathic medicine: